Students can delve deeper with an English literature master's degree.
Having finished a bachelor of arts degree in English literature, some students may want to pursue their study of the field further. A master's course offers plenty of options for doing so, typically focusing a student's attention on a very specific area, type or time period of English literature. Often the specific modules and courses available at each university depend upon the staff in residence; each staff member's interests may be a factor in determining the options available to master's students.
Durham University
Durham offers a master of arts degree entitled English literary studies. Within the course, students form pathways consisting of modules, with the emphasis on flexibility as students are able to construct the contents of their course in a somewhat informal manner. Modules offered include middle English transcripts, old Norse, the literatures of slavery and modern poetry. Four set pathways are also available, which include 20th Century literary studies and Romantic and Victorian literary studies.
Durham University
University Office
Old Elvet
Durham DH1 3HP
UK
44-0191-334-2576
dur.ac.uk
Oxford University
Oxford University's master's programs include courses divided between time periods; for example, between 1660 and 1830 and between 650 to 1550. However, the university allows students to work outside of these time boundaries as part of their studies; the time periods set simply determine the core modules taken by students.
Some module choices available as part of these courses include literature and psychoanalysis, Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot, literature and religion and imagining early modern london. All of Oxford University's master's courses are one year programs with the exception of their master of philosophy degree in Medieval studies.
Oxford University
Faculty of English Language and Literature
St Cross Building
Manor Road
Oxford
OX1 3UL
44-1865-271-055
english.ox.ac.uk
University College London
This university teaches a selection of set master's courses, ranging from a master of arts in Shakespeare in history to a master of arts in Medieval literature. These courses go into considerable depth with regard to their specific subject area; for example, the master of arts in issues in modern culture sees students looking at modernism and postmodernism amongst British, French and American authors, before examining the contexts in which modern literature is written, such as modern technologies and media and its implications for literature.
Department of English
University College London
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
44-020-7679-3134
ucl.ac.uk/English
Edinburgh University
Edinburgh University boasts a larger postgraduate section than most other British universities, with master's degrees at Edinburgh being master of science degrees as opposed to master of arts degrees. Options for study here include Renaissance to Enlightenment studies and a master of science degree in U.S. literature. Within these courses, there is a core area of study that teaches research skills, as well as a chance to identify specific areas of interest. Students may focus upon these interests via two specialist modules.
The university is proud of its wide selection of resources, with postgraduate students benefiting from access to the university's Main Library, which contains over two million printed volumes.
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL
44-0131-650-1000
englit.ed.ac.uk
Tags: master arts, Oxford University, English literature, literary studies, arts degree